"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." (Proverbs 14:12)
What wise words from King Solomon! As people, we are unquestionably susceptible to embracing things that "seem" right, but are not. And to compound the problem, many times we don't realize it (or maybe won't admit it) until that train has left the station and is far down the tracks. Why do we do this? What is it about us that bends us toward being wrong about...everything?
Well, to put it simply and bluntly, human nature is to do what is wrong. We desire wrongly and we think wrongly. Our natural minds and our feelings will always bend us toward darkness rather than light. The Apostle Paul said it like this, "For I know that nothing good dwells in me..." (Romans 7:18). If what Paul says is true, then we ought not trust ourselves...ever!
We've all heard the counsel of well-meaning people through the years. They'll tell us things like, "follow your heart" or "believe in yourself". But this counsel contradicts Paul's words and the words of Solomon. So, the question becomes, if I am unable to trust myself, and I am unable to trust the advice of my friends, then who can I trust? Since all men are sinners with no goodness dwelling in them, where can we find One who is good?
No mere man can help you, but there is One who is God, yet who also took on human flesh to come to rescue you from the sin that resides within you and condemns you. His earthly father, Joseph, heard these words about the birth of the One to come from an angel, "She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21). His name is Jesus.
Our way seems right, yet it leads to death. So, the way we that ought to follow won't seem right to our natural man, but it will lead us to life. We ought to abandon our way and embrace Jesus' way. It is better. It leads to a better place. We cannot expect to walk it the way He has, but we can follow behind Him because He has made a way for us. And He has promised that He will not leave us as we walk along that way (Hebrews 13:5).
In the verse previous to the one we read to begin, Proverbs 14:11 reads, "The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish." Let's not spend our lives building our own house, which is destined for destruction. What a waste of time and energy! Instead, let's consider ourselves to be nomads, tent-dwellers, temporary inhabitants of this world, yet permanent residents of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. He has prepared a permanent house in His presence for those who love Him.
Friend, abandon your way. It is the wrong way. It is leading you down to death. Instead, put on Christ Jesus and His way. His way is life!
I leave you with these life-giving words from Jesus, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke 18:29-30)
Pastor Jeremy
